Transforming the nation's consciousness on race through the law, social science, and the arts.

Gary Paterson’s “I Have a Dream Today”

Description from the artist:

When an artist contemplates a visual interpretation of what is arguably the most moving and meaningful speech ever made, it’s intimidating. But the wealth of information and images available on the internet were so full of memories and new stimulation that I became eager to work with the idea.

The world that I paint is seen through a geometric organization that is based on patterns created by textiles – needlepoint, quilting, etc. I think of each rectangle that makes up a given pattern as a stitch, or a combination of stitches. When I knew that I wanted to portray Dr. King in the moment he talked about freedom ringing from every mountainside, I drew from his words about little children joining hands to create the pattern – stylized “hands” made of horizontal stitches. The colors in my work were derived from his comments about people of all colors living in harmony. The canvas size is intimate, meant to express a momentous and inspirational moment in a personal way.